Vern was enjoying the freedom from the leashes and restraints he had to wear while in his neighborhood. Out here in the country, his human family trusted that he would come when called, so he was left to roam around the acres of woods and pastures of Person County, North Carolina.
On this particular day, while his humans were some distance away, he spotted something skirt across a green scummy surface. Not knowing that water was below the discolored slime, he jumped up to catch the flying bug, but instead of being able to run across the water, the French bully plunged into the pond, several feet from shore.
Vern had never been in water before and didn’t have the physique to swim. He was able to keep his head above the green algae but couldn’t propel his body forward towards the edge. Fear overcame the little dog and desperation to reach the rocks seemed impossible.
I can only imagine what Vern must have felt as he worked with all his might to push his body forward. As I arrived on the shore, I witnessed a look of fear on my dog’s face that shook me to my bones. But I also had a fear. Fear of what was below the green scum that coated the pond. Fear of how deep the water was and what reptiles might be there to greet me if I was to jump in.
I cried out to my husband, praying he was close by so he could retrieve Vern. But he was nowhere to be found and Vern appeared exhausted and ready to dip below the surface. So without further pondering, I jumped in and sank to the bottom where a mushy texture covered my shoes. I then walked the several feet, took hold of Vern’s harness and thrust him onto the shore.
As I looked up, Vern was disoriented and out of breath. Still concerned about his welfare, I climbed the rocks that bordered the edge and made my way onto the grass. And for those first couple of minutes, I stood watching my dog and contemplating what had transpired.
This morning as I was reading over verses pertaining to fear, I discovered Luke 14:27. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
I can’t imagine how I would be feeling right now if I hadn’t jumped in and watched my little dog sink to the bottom of the pond. The peace I feel now comes from overcoming the fear that I felt before I jumped in. And boy did I have a bunch of them. You see, I broke my leg a couple of months ago and was questioning if I would be able to get out of the pond. But I believe God took care of me and my little dog. He gave me the ability to climb up the rocks on the edge without a single lost step and as for Vern, he’s just fine.
